Buddy One is set to take a direct route to the Stayers’ Hurdle after he was found to be suffering from a back problem following his disappointing run at Leopardstown last week.

The seven-year-old provided trainer Paul Gilligan with a memorable Cheltenham victory in November, but has since come up short in two starts at Grade One level – finishing last of five in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse before being pulled up in the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle.

However, Gilligan has not lost any faith in his stable star and will now look to get him back to his best for the Cheltenham Festival in March.

He said: “He didn’t scope clear after the race the other day, but I think the main thing was he had a very sore back afterwards.

“I don’t know if he took a false step or what happened, but we had him away yesterday and all will be good, so we’ll look forward to March.

“He won’t run before then and I would imagine it will be the Stayers’ Hurdle – I don’t think there’s anything else for him really. We haven’t entered him for the Dublin Racing Festival because there is no race for these three-mile horses and I’m not going to rush him back.”

Buddy One is likely to be a big price for the Stayers’ Hurdle, with Hatton’s Grace hero Teahupoo and his Christmas Hurdle-winning stablemate Irish Point disputing favouritism with some bookmakers.

Gilligan added: “I thought he ran a nice race to a point the other day, but he just didn’t gallop through the line the way he can.

“It’s horses for courses, he seems to like Cheltenham and we’ll look forward to taking him back there before going over fences next season.

“Teahupoo is a good horse and Irish Point is a good horse, but we have form around that course, which is a big plus, and there’s a reason for his run in Leopardstown.”

Irish Point announced himself as a major player in the staying division with an authoritative display in the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Trained by Gordon Elliott, the five-year-old was a Grade One-winning novice at Aintree in the spring and returned to action this season with a victory over the useful mare Magical Zoe.

This represented a steep rise in grade, however, against last year’s winner Home By The Lee, Asterion Forlonge and Buddy One.

By the time Home By The Lee had cried enough on the turn for home, Jack Kennedy came looming up between horses on Irish Point, the heavily backed even-money favourite.

Asterion Forlonge was the only one to go with him but only briefly and Irish Point cruised to an 11-length success.

He runs in Brian Acheson’s Robcour colours, who already have one legitimate Stayers’ Hurdle contender in Teahupoo. Coral make the pair their 4-1 joint-favourites for the race in March.

“Jack said he would have done more in a piece of work at home,” said Elliott.

“He was very professional, settled and did everything great.

“You are always worried stepping up to three miles. It’s a nice race to win, we’ve a couple for that division now and it’s a good problem to have.

“We’ve a great bunch of horses and Jack said to me there that all I have to do now is to make sure to split them up.

“He could be a horse that we’d keep for Aintree, we’ll enjoy today and see what happens. The horse was very good and I thought it was a great performance.

“I thought he was so relaxed that he ticked all the boxes to stay, but you are always nervous until he does it.

“Jack said he actually thought halfway down the back that he was so relaxed, but he said when he gave him a squeeze he leapt straight back on it.”

Fact To File impressed on his second start over fences in the Ballymaloe Relish Rising Stars Beginners Chase at Leopardstown.

Second in the Champion Bumper in March, Willie Mullins elected to skip a season over hurdles and send him straight over fences, something he has done with a degree of success in the past with the likes of Florida Pearl.

However, he was beaten on his initial run over the bigger obstacles by Gordon Elliott’s American Mike and appeared to face some classy rivals this time in stablemate Minella Cocooner and Zanahiyr, both big-race winners over hurdles.

Galopin Des Champs and Gentlemansgame had won the corresponding race for the past two seasons and Fact To File went off the 4-6 favourite to follow in their footsteps, doing so with aplomb, beating Zanahiyr by 17 lengths under Mark Walsh.

“He has Cheltenham bumper form from last year. He looks like a chaser, he certainly looked like one there, so we decided to skip his novice hurdle year and just go straight chasing,” said Mullins.

“Today is the reason that I hoped we’d be right.

“He’s a horse I’ve loved since the first day he came into the stable. I think he could go the whole way, with a bit of luck – you need a lot of luck in this game.”

Mullins’ Jade De Grugy was cut to 14-1 from 33s for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham following an impressive Irish debut in the Savills Maiden Hurdle.

Despite 16 runners, only two were ever involved, with Tom Cooper’s Butcher Hollow going with the eventual winner all the way to the second-last when her superiority took over and the 5-4 favourite pulled 15 lengths clear.

Paul Townend was on board and said: “She’s exciting, she did it nicely. I thought we built up down the back the second time and she stayed going well.

“She obviously stays well, the ground is testing there, and she has a lovely attitude. She jumped well and did everything nicely.

“I was going easy so I felt like I was dictating it a bit. I jumped one well down the back and Sean (Flanagan) came with me and pushed me from the last down the back from there home.”

Rachael Blackmore certainly earned her riding fee on Music Of Tara (7-2 favourite) who went two better than last year in the Irish Daily Star Handicap Hurdle.

Third behind Sam’s Choice 12 months ago, the Henry de Bromhead-trained mare was under pressure a long way from home but stayed on strongly to win by two lengths.

“I thought we were in trouble turning in, but she stayed on really well. She just doesn’t really travel, but she’s a really gutsy mare and Rachael was brilliant on her,” said De Bromhead.

“I’m delighted for the Achesons and the Shanahans (owners), it’s great to get it. We said we’d have a go at this and it’s nice when it works out.

“We might look at a Pertemps qualifier. She has to go left-handed, that’s one thing we have worked out.

“She looked all out turning in, but going to the last I thought by Rachael’s actions that she knew she had a fair chance.”

Gavin Cromwell’s Flooring Porter is backed to benefit from a return to a left-handed track when he lines up for the Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Friday.

The eight-year-old is twice the winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and started his chasing career earlier this season.

His debut over fences was a success at Cheltenham in October, where he beat Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Broadway Boy by two and half lengths to land a novice chase over three miles and half a furlong.

His next outing came at Punchestown in the Florida Pearl, where he drifted left around the right-handed track and was eventually inconvenienced by a loose horse in finishing third.

Cromwell expects Flooring Porter to be happier back on a left-handed track and is happy to put a line through that last run.

“He’s back going left-handed, he’s very well,” the trainer said.

“The ground is going to be very testing, but he should be fine on it and I’m looking forward to it.

“It was just one of the those races (Punchestown) to put a line through and forget about going into tomorrow.”

Meanwhile Broadway Boy has done a great deal to boost the form of his and Flooring Porter’s earlier encounter, winning twice more back at Cheltenham with two impressive performances.

Cromwell said of those runs: “I was glad to see him do so well, it makes it interesting for our horse.”

A key rival at Leopardstown will be the Emmet Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross, another horse with two chasing runs under his belt this term.

Third on debut at Naas behind Grangeclare West and Heart Wood, the chestnut was then the winner of a competitive beginners’ chase at Fairyhouse when beating Three Card Brag to get off to mark over the larger obstacles.

The six-year-old now steps up in trip and grade under Mark Walsh in the silks of owner JP McManus.

Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus, said: “He’s in good form and Emmet’s happy with him.

“He’s stepping up to three miles over fences and we hope that will suit him.

“He’ll have learnt a lot from that last run and hopefully will have come forward for it, we’re looking forward to seeing him run.”

The Willie Mullins-trained Grangeclare West comes into the race in winning form having not run since the Naas contest in which he beat Corbetts Cross.

Favori De Champdou, winner of the Florida Pearl, will represent Gordon Elliott and Noel Meade runs Flanking Maneuver in the same silks of Gigginstown House Stud.

The field is completed by Tullyhogue Fort, a seven-year-old who has been busy all through the summer and into the new season.

Daryl Jacob is extremely excited to be given the opportunity to ride Impaire Et Passe in the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown on Friday.

Only four are due to go to post in the two-mile Grade One, and three of those are trained by Willie Mullins.

It is an event Mullins has farmed in recent years – since 2010 he has won all bar three renewals, with Hurricane Fly and Sharjah winning four apiece.

Last year the champion trainer was successful with State Man and he lines up once more as the choice of Paul Townend.

That meant the ride on last year’s hugely impressive Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle winner Impaire Et Passe was free and as retained rider to owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede in the UK, Jacob was in pole position.

Impaire Et Passe lost his unbeaten record on his seasonal return in the Hatton’s Grace, and Mullins has taken the decision to drop him in trip to two miles. But Jacob feels the testing ground will make it more of a stamina test.

“I’m very much looking forward to riding him. He’s a very exciting horse for Simon and Isaac and everyone and this is another step on the ladder for him,” said Jacob.

“He’s racing over two miles for the first time in a while, but I’ve been in Ireland all week and there has been a lot of rain.

“The hurdle course on Wednesday went soft then heavy, but he has handled that sort of ground, he’s won over further and he has got speed.

“He’s a hugely exciting horse and I’m very grateful for the opportunity, I can’t wait to ride him.

“I rode him out on Thursday morning, he seems in really good form and I really don’t see the ground being an issue at all.”

Jacob has enjoyed a particularly fruitful spell of late and is operating at a strike-rate of over 40 per cent for the past two weeks, and he would love to top it off with a Grade One.

“I’ve had a nice few winners of late, but a Grade One win before the new year would be lovely,” he said.

Understandably given his choice, Townend feels State Man sets the standard given the only horse who has finished in front of him when he has completed since joining Mullins is Constitution Hill.

He told his Ladbrokes blog: “He seems to set the standard this side of the water. His only defeat was by Constitution Hill last year. It’s interesting he’s being taken on by Impaire Et Passe.

“I thought Impaire Et Passe ran with a lot of credit in the Hatton’s Grace in Fairyhouse. He has a run under his belt and State Man won the Morgiana.

“It’s a big test, but State Man played at the top table all last season and sets the standard. The pair are sure to make a good race of it.”

Mullins also runs the mare Echoes In Rain, while Gordon Elliott’s Fils D’oudairies is the only other contender.

Fastorslow will miss the Savills Chase at Leopardstown due to the testing ground.

Martin Brassil’s charge was due to clash with fellow staying heavyweights Galopin Des Champs and Gerri Colombe in a blockbuster renewal of the extended three-mile contest.

However, after 11 millimetres of rain in the last 24 hours, the ground at Leopardstown is now described as soft, soft to heavy in places – prompting Brassil to rethink running plans.

Fastorslow would have been meeting Galopin Des Champs for a third successive start, having beaten him in both the Punchestown Gold Cup at the end of last season and in last month’s John Durkan Chase on the pair’s respective seasonal bows.

Meetingofthewaters provided his owner Paul Byrne with another big payday after scooting to victory in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown.

With a total prize fund of €200,000 up for grabs, the three-mile contest is one of the most valuable handicap chases of the season in Ireland and once again attracted a bumper field of 27 runners.

Meetingofthewaters (6-1) was rated just 112 when snapped up by Patrick Mullins out of Eugene O’Sullivan’s yard earlier in the year – and while he was well beaten in his first two starts over fences in his colours and under the tutelage of his father Willie, he was a well-backed favourite when making it third time lucky in lesser company at Cork last month.

Having since been sold to a close friend of the Mullins family in Byrne, who has previously enjoyed big-race success with the likes of The Shunter, Corbetts Cross and Feronily, the six-year-old travelled smoothly into the straight under Danny Mullins and dug deep from the final fence to see off the rallying Panda Boy by four and a half lengths.

Mullins said: “It’s a fantastic result for Paul Byrne. Patrick has a lot to do with (training) this fellow, but I think he was hoping he’d be a Kim Muir horse and that is gone out the window now!

“It’s great prize-money and a tremendous prize to win with a horse like that.

“Paul is great at seeing gaps in the market when buying horses. He’s able to spot horses rather than paying big money. He has an eye for a horse and is able to put a deal together. He probably looks for horses in places that other people don’t.

“He won nicely in Cork and was a young horse improving all the time. It’s a bit of a lottery when you go into a race like this but when you get in at those weights it’s always worth having a crack.”

Meetingofthewaters was one of three winners on the card for the champion trainer, with Mark Walsh steering Dinoblue (9-4) to Grade One success in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase and Joystick toughing out victory as the 11-8 favourite in the concluding bumper under Patrick Mullins.

Mullins, who enjoyed an across-the-card seven-timer on the day with four winners at Limerick, said of Joystick, he said: “He was third in a point-to-point and we went down to see him at the Doyles. He’s a nice staying type and a real chaser in the making.

“He’s a real long-striding, old-fashioned chaser and a nice acquisition. He’ll stick with bumpers this season.”

Intellotto made a successful start to his career over obstacles in the Paddy Power I Have No Idea What Day It Is 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle.

Placed twice from three starts on the Flat for trainer Joseph O’Brien, the 10-1 shot travelled smoothly on his jumping bow and passed the post with four and a half lengths in hand under Daryl Jacob.

Paddy Power make Intellotto a 25-1 shot for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

O’Brien said: “The ground was softer than we thought it was going to be but it was a lovely debut. Daryl taught him a lot and he jumped pretty well on the whole.

“I think the logical step would be to come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival.”

The Eoin Griffin-trained One Last Tango (4-1) carried the JP McManus colours to victory in the Paddy Power Who Put The Wrappers Back In The Box Handicap Hurdle, completing a double on the card for the leading owner and jockey Mark Walsh following the earlier Grade One success of Dinoblue.

Griffin said: “He had a promising run on his return when finishing fourth at Navan and he’s come on a little bit from it.

“I was a bit concerned about the ground today, but he handled it well and it’s brilliant to get a winner here at Christmas for JP. It’s been a while since we had a Christmas winner and we’re over the moon.”

Caldwell Potter dented some lofty reputations with victory in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The Grade One contest has been won by a whole host of top-class performers in recent years, with Sizing John (2014), Appreciate It (2020) and Caldwell Potter’s ill-fated sibling Mighty Potter (2021) among those on the roll of honour.

Another quality renewal was in prospect, with Daddy Long Legs, fellow Willie Mullins representative Predators Gold and Gordon Elliott’s Down Memory Lane all protecting unbeaten records, but it was the latter trainer’s apparent second string who claimed top honours under Jack Kennedy.

A 6-1 shot following a comfortable victory at Navan on his most recent outing, Caldwell Potter took over from long-time leader Westport Cove leaving the back straight, with the supposed bigger guns waiting in the wings.

However, Predators Gold was the only horse able to go with Elliott’s grey turning for home and with a bad mistake at the final flight ultimately ending his challenge, Caldwell Potter was well on top as he passed the post with six and a half lengths in hand.

Down Memory Lane was a long way back in third, with Daddy Long Legs disappointingly pulled up.

Elliott said: “Jack just kept it simple and said he loved the ground. He galloped them into the ground. He’s a nice horse and loved the conditions.

“I wasn’t surprised, as he won well in Navan. We’ll enjoy today and then have a think about where we go next. I could see him stepping up in trip at some stage.”

Betfair gave the winner an 8-1 quote for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next March, while Coral introduced him into their Ballymore betting at 12-1.

Caldwell Potter dented some lofty reputations with victory in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The Grade One contest has been won by a whole host of top-class performers in recent years, with Sizing John (2014), Appreciate It (2020) and Caldwell Potter’s ill-fated sibling Mighty Potter (2021) among those on the roll of honour.

Another quality renewal was in prospect, with Daddy Long Legs, fellow Willie Mullins representative Predators Gold and Gordon Elliott’s Down Memory Lane all protecting unbeaten records, but it was the latter trainer’s apparent second string who claimed top honours under Jack Kennedy.

A 6-1 shot following a comfortable victory at Navan on his most recent outing, Caldwell Potter took over from long-time leader Westport Cove leaving the back straight, with the supposed bigger guns waiting in the wings.

However, Predators Gold was the only horse able to go with Elliott’s grey turning for home and with a bad mistake at the final flight ultimately ending his challenge, Caldwell Potter was well on top as he passed the post with six and a half lengths in hand.

Down Memory Lane was a long way back in third, with Daddy Long Legs disappointingly pulled up.

Elliott said: “Jack just kept it simple and said he loved the ground. He galloped them into the ground. He’s a nice horse and loved the conditions.

“I wasn’t surprised, as he won well in Navan. We’ll enjoy today and then have a think about where we go next. I could see him stepping up in trip at some stage.”

Betfair gave the winner an 8-1 quote for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next March, while Coral introduced him into their Ballymore betting at 12-1.

With Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow renewing rivalry, and Gerri Colombe looking to cement his Cheltenham Gold Cup claims, this year’s Savills Chase promises to be one to savour.

In an era where blockbuster clashes are bemoaned as a disappointing rarity, the feature event on day three of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival serves up a tantalising treat, with the aforementioned trio currently occupying to the top three spots in the betting for the blue riband at Prestbury Park in March.

Add to that the defending champion Conflated, another former winner of the race and Gold Cup hero in A Plus Tard and the latter’s stablemate Envoi Allen, and you have what could be a race for the ages.

Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father Willie, summed it up perfectly when saying: “It’s probably the race of Christmas and the race of the year so far.”

The big hope for Team Mullins clan is, of course, Galopin Des Champs, who looked set to become the dominant force in the staying chase division after winning the John Durkan at Punchestown, Leopardstown’s Irish Gold Cup and the Cheltenham Gold Cup last season. But he will line up on Thursday having suffered back-to-back defeats.

Many considered his shock reverse at the hands of Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow in April’s Punchestown Gold Cup as a freak result at the end of a long season, but the latter went some way to dispelling that notion when handing the Mullins ace another short-priced beating in the John Durkan last month.

Galopin Des Champs was only third on that occasion and Patrick Mullins is hoping he can show his true colours on Thursday.

He said: “We’re looking for Galopin Des Champs to bounce back. He didn’t jump well in the John Durkan, but he’s schooled very well since.

“I think he ran very well at Punchestown considering how badly he jumped, so if he jumps better, he should be back to his best.

“Fastorslow has beaten us the last twice, so it’s for us to come and beat him, not the other way around. Fastorslow sits top of that division at the moment.

“Gerri Colombe is a hard horse to get a gauge on because he just does the bare minimum, but I’d think Leopardstown after all the rain will suit him very well.”

Galopin Des Champs is one of five declared runners for the champion trainer, with Appreciate It, I Am Maximus, Capodanno and Janidil also in the mix.

Appreciate It split Fastorslow and Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan when ridden by Mullins junior, who feels he again warrants respect.

He added: “Appreciate It ran a cracker in the John Durkan and he’ll be better going this direction.

“It’ll be a very differently run race I’d imagine, but we’d be hoping that he can confirm that his last run is the level he’s at.”

Fastorslow is out to prove there was no fluke about his successive Grade One wins at Punchestown.

“He’s in great form and I’m delighted with him, very happy,” said Brassil.

Gerri Colombe won the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal on his first start outside novice company and while his trainer Gordon Elliott flirted with the idea of travelling to Kempton for a tilt at the King George on Boxing Day, he instead remains on home soil.

Conflated was not beaten far when third behind his stable companion at Down Royal, and a return to a track where he won both the Savills Chase and the Irish Gold Cup last year is clearly a positive.

A Plus Tard has looked a shadow of his former self since his scintillating victory in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup, while Envoi Allen cannot be discounted after pushing Gerri Colombe to a neck last month.

Trainer Henry de Bromhead said: “Both are in good form and it will be nice to get A Plus Tard out again. He seems well at home and we’re hoping for a good run.

“We’re trying to find our form with him, we didn’t really see it last year but we didn’t get much opportunity to either.

“Envoi seems in great form. He ran a great race in Down Royal and if he ran something similar to that we’d be delighted.

“We could have done without the rain for both of them I suppose, but it is what it is.”

Dinoblue led home a one-two-three for trainer Willie Mullins and owner JP McManus in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown.

A field of five runners went to post for the Grade One contest, with Henry de Bromhead’s 6-4 favourite Captain Guinness the only outlier in an otherwise Closutton dominated line-up.

It was clear from a long way out that it was going to be a clean sweep for the champion trainer, with the market leader never able to get to grips with a strong pace and eventually pulled up by Rachael Blackmore in the back straight.

Gentleman De Mee was deployed in a front-running role, but he was a sitting duck at the top of the home straight, as stablemate Dinoblue moved into his slipstream under a motionless Mark Walsh.

Once given her head, the 9-4 shot soon pulled away and safely negotiated the final fence to score by seven and a half lengths.

Saint Roi was third, with the other Mullins runner Dysart Dynamo falling at the last.

“Gentleman De Mee set a great pace in front and jumped fantastic. I wondered at one stage would she (Dinoblue) be able to stay jumping with him but she held her jumping together,” said the trainer.

“When he took a blow, she kept galloping and she is improving all the time. I’m very happy with that.”

Dinoblue is the 11-4 favourite (from 7-2) with the sponsors for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Marine Nationale maintained his unbeaten record with a near foot-perfect display on his debut over fences at Leopardstown.

Owned and trained by Barry Connell, the six-year-old won each of his two bumper starts and was three from three over hurdles last season, culminating in a brilliant victory in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Encountering larger obstacles for the first time, having sidestepped a potential engagement at Navan last month on account of testing conditions, Marine Nationale was a 1-2 shot for the Paddy Power From The Horses Mouth Podcast Beginners Chase and those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns for the duration of the two-mile-one-furlong contest.

Michael O’Sullivan’s mount raced zestfully on the front end from the drop of the flag and was particularly impressive in the jumping department.

The market leader was still hard on the bridle turning for home and another bold leap at the final obstacle put the seal on a comfortable eight-and-a-half-length victory over Firm Footings.

Paddy Power and Betfair were suitably impressed by the winner’s performance, trimming his odds for the Arkle at Cheltenham to 4-5 from 7-4, while Coral are marginally bigger at evens.

“I didn’t enjoy watching it at all. Last year we were coming in under the radar and this year we are favourite for the Arkle and expected to win,” said Connell.

“It’s a horse race and anything can go wrong, but the way he jumped today he’s vindicated what we have seen from his schooling – he’s an absolute natural.

“He’s only three-quarters fit today and Michael said he gave a little bit of a blow. He was a little gassy early on, but you couldn’t ask for any more than that.

“The ground is described as soft, but there is a bottom to it. He goes on every ground, but probably wouldn’t like heavy ground. He’s just class with a super engine.”

Marine Nationale looks set to return to Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival before returning to Cheltenham in March.

Connell added: “He’ll come back here for the Irish Arkle, then the Arkle and hopefully on to Punchestown. The script writes itself this year.

“He’s the horse of a lifetime and I’m just blessed that he came into our yard. They are one in 10,000 these horses.

“He’s taken a bit longer this year to get fit than last year as he had a proper break for 10 weeks, but he’s a tall, athletic horse and comes to hand quick enough.

“If you look at the list of Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winners, there are plenty that just didn’t train on and that was an added pressure.

“He had a little wind operation before he went out at the end of last season and we put a tongue strap on him today. We just thought it might improve him a bit.”

Marine Nationale maintained his unbeaten record with a near foot-perfect display on his debut over fences at Leopardstown.

Owned and trained by Barry Connell, the six-year-old won each of his two bumper starts and was three from three over hurdles last season, culminating in a brilliant victory in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Encountering larger obstacles for the first time, having sidestepped a potential engagement at Navan last month on account of testing conditions, Marine Nationale was a 1-2 shot for the Paddy Power From The Horses Mouth Podcast Beginners Chase and those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns for the duration of the two-mile-one-furlong contest.

Michael O’Sullivan’s mount raced zestfully on the front end from the drop of the flag and was particularly impressive in the jumping department.

The market leader was still hard on the bridle turning for home and another bold leap at the final obstacle put the seal on a comfortable eight-and-a-half-length victory over Firm Footings.

Paddy Power and Betfair were suitably impressed by the winner’s performance, trimming his odds for the Arkle at Cheltenham to 4-5 from 7-4, while Coral are marginally bigger at evens.

Facile Vega proved a bitter disappointment as Found A Fifty claimed Grade One honours in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Having struck gold at the highest level in the bumper sphere and over hurdles, the Willie Mullins-trained Facile Vega was the 1-2 favourite to complete the set following a comfortable victory on his chasing debut at Navan last month.

With Paul Townend making the trip to Kempton to partner Allaho in the King George, Patrick Mullins was reunited with Facile Vega for the first time since he rounded off his unbeaten bumper campaign in the spring of 2022, but odds-on backers were ultimately left counting their losses.

Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty, who won on his fencing bow at Down Royal before chasing home I Am Maximus in the Drinmore at Fairyhouse three weeks ago, was unsurprisingly ridden aggressively by Jack Kennedy as he stepped back from two and a half miles to two miles and a furlong on the outskirts of Dublin.

The six-year-old showed a tendency to edge right at his fences, impeding Facile Vega on a couple of occasions, which prompted Patrick Mullins to switch inside racing down the back straight and he soon took over the lead.

Facile Vega looked to be travelling the better of the pair rounding the home turn, but while he faltered quickly to finish last of four runners, Found A Fifty kept galloping for Kennedy and passed the post with a length and a half in hand over My Mate Mozzie.

“He’s very quirky, but he’s got a massive engine,” Elliott said of the winner.

“To get a Grade One winner is brilliant as it looked like we were unlucky in Aintree (Farren Glory fell in Formby Novices’ Hurdle).

“Jack gave Found A Fifty a wonderful ride. He had to use his head everywhere as he even went to have a look at the rail after the first fence.

“He’s a good horse. He was actually the highest-rated novice chaser in England or Ireland coming into the race today but there is a quirk in him – most good ones have a little bit of a quirk.”

Elliott was also keen to praise his stable jockey, who has suffered more than his fair share of injuries in recent years.

The trainer added: “Jack is different class. He’s just a lovely fella. At home you wouldn’t even pick him out in the string. He’d ride a horse leg length and be nagging and twisting. He’s just a bit different.

“We’re very lucky to have him, holding onto him and keeping him in one piece now would be the problem.”

Patrick Mullins is delighted with the prospect of being reunited with Facile Vega in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Tuesday.

Mullins won four bumpers on the six-year-old two seasons ago, including the championship events at Cheltenham and Punchestown, and with Paul Townend at Kempton to ride Allaho he steps into the breach.

As a son of the brilliant Quevega he had plenty to live up to, but he already has four Grade Ones in the bank and that is before he has even had the chance to add to it over fences, something he looks like he was born to do.

Mullins’ father and trainer Willie feels he may be at his best when stepping up in trip, but while he is winning over two miles there seems little reason to change and he faces just three rivals, including stablemate Sharjah, a horse Mullins has also enjoyed great success with.

“I’m delighted to get back on him – we had a great season together two years ago,” said Mullins.

“I schooled him and rode him work on the Curragh on Tuesday and he worked very well, I was very happy with him.

“I got a great spin in this race a few years ago on Douvan, so hopefully this could be just as good.

“He’s not an ex-point-to-pointer or an ex-French horse, he’s a homebred who started off in bumpers, so he’s entitled to improve jumping-wise, more so than some of our other horses.

“He definitely has the physique to be a better chaser and I think in time he’ll probably go up in trip – Quevega stayed three miles well. But he has plenty of speed of two miles at the moment.

“Myself and Danny (Mullins) pick up plenty of Paul’s crumbs and I can’t wait.”

Gavin Cromwell’s My Mate Mozzie and Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty complete the field.